Chaudiere author Joe Blades reads at QWERTY Reads, Fredericton NB: February 6, 2013

QWERTY magazine reads hits Alden Nowlan House, the UNB GSA Grad House, again, with the prose and poetry stylings of Lisa Jodoin, Martin Ainsley, and Joe Blades. Come enjoy some snacks and drinks while taking in literary greatness!

QWERTY Reads, February!
February 6, 2013 at 7:30pm
Grad House, 676 Windsor St, Fredericton, New Brunswick

rob mclennan reads at Ottawa's A B Series, January 31, 2013

ROB MCLENNAN & BEATRIZ HAUSNER

8:00pm
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Ottawa Art Gallery, Firestone Gallery
2 Daly Ave, Ottawa
Free / a hat will be passed

A B Series gratefully acknowledges the support of the City of Ottawa, Ontario Arts Council, and, through the League of Canadian Poets, the Canada Council for the Arts.

Info at the A B Series website here, including author bios.

rob mclennan will be launching Songs for little sleep, (Obvious epiphanies press, 2012).

January 25, 2013: Monty Reid reads in Winnipeg as part of WinterWORDfest 2013

WinterWORDfest 2013
Sharon Butala Readings and Workshops

Wednesday, January 23
Sharon Butala
12:30 PM Room 3M64 (3rd oor of Manitoba Hall), University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue
Hosted by the Department of English

Ted Dyck with Luann Hiebert
7:30 PM: The Neighbourhood Cafe, 898 Westminster Avenue
Hosted by the Mennonite Literary Society

Thursday, January 24
Sharon Butala
1 PM: Great West Life Lecture Theatre, The Roblin Centre, Red River College, 160 Princess Street
Hosted by the Department of Creative Communications

Sharon Butala
7 PM: The Atrium, McNally Robinson Booksellers, 1120 Grant Avenue
Introduced by Geoff Hancock

Friday, January 25
Monty Reid with Michelle Elrick and friends
7 PM: Travel Alcove, McNally Robinson Booksellers, 1120 Grant Avenue
Hosted by Contemporary Verse 2

Saturday, January 26
MEMOIR WRITING WORKSHOP WITH Sharon Butala
9 AM - 4 PM
Cost: $55 (includes lunch)
Artspace Boardroom, 424-100 Arthur Street
To register, contact Prairie Fire at 204 -943-9066 or prfire@mts.net

FICTION EDITING WORKSHOP WITH Geoff Hancock
1 - 4 PM
Cost: $45 for MWG members, $55 for non-members
Burns Family Classroom, Manitoba Writers’ Guild, 218-100 Arthur Street, in the Artspace building
To register, contact info@mbwriter.mb.ca or call 204-944-8013

ottawater #9: Lea, Le Dressay, mclennan, Pirie + Reid

Five Chaudiere Books authors--Nicholas Lea, Anne Le Dressay, rob mclennan, Pearl Pirie and Monty Reid--have new work in the 9th issue of the Ottawa annual poetry pdf journal ottawater.

Check here for the link to the current issue, as well as all previous issues, archived on the site, as well as information on the launch at The Carleton Tavern on January 24, 2013.

Jennifer Mulligan begins "12 or 20 Questions in Film" interview series,

Jennifer Mulligan has started posting a "12 or 20 Questions in Film" interview series, roughly based on rob mclennan's "12 or 20 questions" (series one, (current) two and (small press) three). Aiming to post new interviews every week or so, the first interview is with Ottawa filmmaker Derek Price.

Pearl Pirie and rob mclennan: ‘The Next Big Thing’ meme-interview: the blog tour that ran itself

Both Pearl Pirie and rob mclennan recently participated in the recent meme floating around the internet, asking literary writers with blogs to participate in a self-interview of ten set questions, tagging five more authors as they go. Who might be next?

Conversations in the Book Trade -- an interview with Chaudiere Books editor/publisher rob mclennan

Finn Harvor conducts an interview with me about writing, editing, publishing and Chaudiere Books on his website, Conversations in the Book Trade.

Pearl Pirie reads with Carolyn Smart in Ottawa's AB Series, January 10, 2013

A B Series
Performance Poetry, Music & Experimental Arts

Pearl Pirie & Carolyn Smart

8:00pm
Thursday, January 10, 2012
Raw Sugar Café
692 Somerset West, Ottawa

Free / a hat will be passed

A B Series gratefully acknowledges the support of the City of Ottawa, Ontario Arts Council, and, through the League of Canadian Poets and Trade Writers' Union of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts 

For more information (including author biographies and very large author photos), check out www.abseries.org

"Cover Letter" Marcus McCann at The Manx, Ottawa International Writers Festival, Oct 28 2012

The Ottawa International Writers Festival has just posted a fraction of Marcus McCann's reading at The Manx Pub, October 28, 2012. One of the finest readings I've seen in some time.

Chaudiere Books at the ottawa small press book fair, november 17, 2012

Chaudiere Books will again be participating in the ottawa small press book fair at Jack Purcell Community Centre. Come by and say hello, and maybe even pick up copies of some of our titles for Christmas gifts!

Pearl Pirie in St. Catharines + Marcus McCann in Ottawa: some reports,

Pearl Pirie [photo credit: Ryan Pratt] read in St. Catharines, ON at the Grey Borders Reading Series recently, and Ryan Pratt was good enough to post a report on the ottawa poetry newsletter blog. Pirie posted her own report as well, on her own blog. Back home, Marcus McCann read at the Manx Pub over the weekend, as part of the ottawa international writers festival, and Amanda Earl posted her report of such, here.

TRUCK: from "Intelligence," by Monty Reid

Monty Reid has a new poem, "from Intelligence" online on TRUCK, during Edmonton poet/editor Douglas Barbour's month at the wheel.

2012 bywords John Newlove Poetry Awards

bywords John Newlove Poetry Awards
Hosted by Amanda Earl
the ottawa international writers festival
Friday, October 26, 2012
Free event [more info here]
Knox Presbyterian Church • 120 Lisgar st. (at Elgin)
6:30pm

Join host Amanda Earl for the launch of Miss Canada (International) by rob mclennan, the 2011 recipient of the John Newlove Poetry Award. Featuring readings by this year’s award recipient (to be announced at the reading) and honourable mentions, plus music by Neil Gerster!

The award is named for the late Saskatchewan poet and Chaudiere Books author John Newlove, who died in 2003. Newlove spent his last seventeen years in Ottawa, as he liked to say, "for his sins."

Chaudiere Books published his selected poems, A Long Continual Argument, edited by Robert McTavish, in 2007. Copies will be available at the reading, and a copy is presented annually to the winner of the John Newlove Award.

Upcoming Pearl Pirie readings: London, St Catharines, Cobourg + Ottawa,

Tues October 23, 2012, 6pm workshop, 7pm doors / Organics Works Bakery Café, London, ON
Louisa Howerow and Pearl Pirie with an open mic at the Bakery, 222 Wellington St. Free but a hat will be passed. Including a fall reading of In Air/Air Out to support Tom Clarke's Guatemala Stove Project

Preceded by a drop-in poetry workshop led by Pearl Pirie from 6-7pm ($10 suggested or pay as you can. rsvp if you can. pagehalffull[a] yahoo.com) Topic: Substantial Edits: Pulling your poem to the bones. Finding the structure and fitness in your poem.

Wed October 24, 2012, Doors 7pm, reading 7:30pm / Grey Borders, St. Catharines, ON
bill bissett, Steve Zultanski, Pearl Pirie, Beatriz Hausner, and Donato Mancini at the Niagara Artists Centre, 354 St. Paul Street.

Sat November 3, 2012, 2-4pm / Cobourg Poetry & Literary Arts Festival, Cobourg, ON
Gary Barwin, Andrew Kaufman, Leah Murray and Pearl Pirie at Impresario Artisan Market at 37 King Street West.

Thurs November 15, 2012, 7pm / Factory Reading Series, Ottawa, ON
A fundraiser for Versefest: 3 poets present on poetics. Stephen Brockwell, Cameron Anstee and Pirie. Held at The Mercury Lounge.

Jan 10, 2013, 8pm / A B Series, Ottawa, ON
A reading at Gallery 101 with the AB Series. Co-reader, Carolyn Smart.

For more information on Pirie, check out her website here.

What are you working on right now, Pearl Pirie?

Pearl Pirie answers Jonathan Ball's interview series, "What are you working on right now?"

Marcus McCann reads at the ottawa international writers festival, October 28 2012

Chaudiere author Marcus McCann launches his second collection, The Hard Return (Insomniac Press, 2012) at the ottawa international writers festival as part of the Plan 99 Reading Series at the Manx Pub alongside Nyla Matuk and Matthew Tierney on Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 5pm.

Lovingly hosted by David O'Meara.

Joe Blades and Dina E. Cox in Fredericton: September 16, 2012

Our summer break is over, and this Sunday, September 16, at 2pm, marks the first odd sundays event of 2012-2013.  For this event only, we are meeting off site, at Unitarian House, 874 York (just down from Montgomery).  (Molly and Darrell will have their hands full with Harvest Jazz and Blues folk.)  Along with poetry and perhaps some short prose from the open set, coffee and sweets will be served.  In order to respect this new and temporary shared space, a donation box will be available for those who wish to contribute.

Bring your ears; bring your literary sensibilities; bring a few minutes of your own writing for the open set.  Our double feature includes poet Dina E Cox, from Ontario, and poet and publisher Joe Blades, from Fredericton, providing a great way to start our season (see bios below).  I hope to see many of you out, and extend a particular invitation to high-school students, whereas they do not need a parent or guardian at this venue. 

Thank you all for your attention.  Take care,

Sunday, September 16, 2PM

Unitarian (Coffee) House, 874 York Street, Fredericton NB

Featured readers:  Dina E Cox / Joe Blades

Open Set / Book Draw / Connections

allison calvern

459-1436 / acalvern@nbnet.nb.ca

***

Dina E Cox was born and raised in Saint John, N.B. A graduate of the University of New Brunswick, she taught at Fredericton High School before moving to Ontario with her husband. There they raised a family of four, and will soon be welcoming their ninth grandchild. Dina returns to New Brunswick on a regular basis for inspiration.

Dina’s poetry has been published in various journals and anthologies in Canada, Ireland, the United States and Bulgaria. Also a musician and an occasional freelancer, Dina writes both lyric poetry and the shorter Japanese forms, and is a past winner of the Betty Drevniok Award for haiku, Canada’s premier award for English language haiku.

Small flames, published with Signature Editions (Winnipeg) in spring 2012, is her first book.

***

Joe Blades is the author of seven books including Casemate Poems (Collected) (Chaudiere Books), and Prison Songs and Storefront Poetry (Ekstasis Editions). He is also publisher of Broken Jaw Press and producer—host of Ashes, Paper, & Beans: Fredericton's Writing & Arts Show (CHSR 97.9 FM, Wednesdays at 5pm).  Joe has been writing and promoting writing for decades, contributing widely and deeply to Canada’s literary landscape.

***

August's TRUCK: Reid, McCann, Blades, Jackson + mclennan,

I've been editing Halvard Johnson's TRUCK throughout August, and have included new poems by Chaudiere authors Monty Reid, Marcus McCann, Joe Blades and Meghan Jackson, before finally ending the month with a piece of my own, here. Check the entire month's worth as well, featuring poems by nikki reimer, Daphne Marlatt, Gil McElroy, Marilyn Irwin, Jordan Abel, Judith Copithorne, Kim Minkus and plenty of others.

Rosemary Nissen-Wade on Pearl Pirie: I Wish I'd Written This

Blogger Rosemary Nissen-Wade writes "I Wish I'd Written This" over at Poets United on Chaudiere author Pearl Pirie, and includes a piece by Pirie, the poem "Independent Souls."

a new article/interview on Joe Blades and his Casemate Poems (Collected) by Patrick Connors,

Patrick Connors recently posted this interview/article he did on Chaudiere author Joe Blades and his title Casemate Poems (Collected), over at newz4u.net.

Chaudiere author Joe Blades in action (Fredericton NB)

12 July, Thursday, 7 pm. Joe Blades performs at the opening of the Members exhibition, Gallery Connexion, 440 York Street Fredericton, NB.

14-20 July. Joe Blades in the Artists in Residence 2012 Summer Series in a Soldier’s Barracks casemate, Historic Garrison District, Queen St, Fredericton, NB. A project of the Fredericton Arts Alliance.

NEW CONTEST from The Puritan! THE THOMAS MORTON PRIZE!‏

Dear Friends, Readers, Writers, and Colleagues,


The Puritan is proud to announce Canada's newest literary contest! The Inaugural Thomas Morton Memorial Prize in Literary Excellence recognizes the best in fiction and poetry for 2012. The winner in each field will receive a generous prize package including monetary compensation as well as a collection of books from some of Canada's most celebrated small presses. The winning entries will also appear in The Puritan's upcoming end-of-the-year Best-Of Print Anthology. Be the first to pin the longest literary prize title in Canada onto your list of accolades. Brave the frontier today!

Bounties


Fiction winner: $650/ Poetry winner: $350

Prize Package includes approximately $500 worth of books for both winners! Titles come from Chaudiere Books, Coach House Books, Cormorant Books, ECW Press, Freehand Books, Goose Lane Editions, Insomniac Press, Mansfield Press, Pedlar Press, and Tightrope Books!

Publication in the Best-Of Anthology and online!

Cost per submission: $10

Fiction up to 12,000 words / Poetry up to 3 pages; Open to International Writers

Multiple submissions accepted; Deadline is September 30, 2012.

Visit our submissions page for more information and to learn how to submit (it's that easy)!

Hope to see your work! Help us spread the word by informing friends, students, and fellow writers. Tweet it, post it, blog it, and help us make two people happy!

Yours,

The Puritan Editors

--
The Puritan: Frontiers of New English
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
http://www.puritan-magazine.com/
puritanmagazine@gmail.com
http://twitter.com/thepuritan
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2240060756

Pearl Pirie interviewed on Canadian Poets Petting Cats

Chaudiere Books author Pearl Pirie is interviewed on the blog Canadian Poets Petting Cats, alongside (naturally) a photo with her and "a local cat."

Chaudiere Books at the ottawa small press book fair, spring 2012 edition: Saturday, June 30

We will be exhibiting our wares again at the ottawa small press book fair this coming Saturday. Come by and say hello, and possibly even pick up a book or three! Information here.

Some upcoming Pearl Pirie readings and appearances in Ottawa:

June 22, 2012, 7pm
Call and Response, SPAO
Season-end reading with the participants of the year's ekphrasis photography-word project at SPAO's Red Wall Gallery, 168 Dalhousie Ave, Ottawa. Readings by various Chaudiere Books authors and not-yet, including Pearl Pirie, Amanda Earl, Monty Reid, Sandra Ridley, Christine McNair, Claudia Coutu Radmore and rob mclennan.

June 25, 2012, 7-9pm
The Muses Reading Series
Elmdale Tavern, 1084 Wellington Street West, Ottawa. With poetry by Pearl Pirie and music by the percussion group Kunundrum. Donations support the Peace and Environment News, a community newspaper based in Ottawa.

Sat. June 30, 2012, 12:00-5:00pm
Ottawa Small Press fair
Ottawa small press fair at the Jack Purcell Arena, just off Elgin St, Ottawa. See what's new in Ottawa papery goodnesses. Lots of booths and my books, and maybe even a few new chapbooks from phafours.

Tues. Aug 14, 2012, 6:45-7:45pm
Tree Seed Workshop
Radical Revision at the Arts Court, 2nd floor, just east of Rideau Centre, Ottawa. Sometimes we attach to the concept or sound of a poem too early and let its bones harden. Let's use the material of poems as malleable starting points. Bring half a dozen copies of a poem you want to tear apart using a few techniques.

www.pearlpirie.com

Chaudiere Books at the virus bookfair, st. catharines, ontario saturday june 16 2012

Chaudiere Books and above/ground press will be participating in this year's Virus Bookfair on Saturday, June 16, 2012, in St. Catharine's, Ontario, as part of the month long Niagara Literary Arts Festival. The fair runs from noon to 5pm, with the After A Fair literary reading will at the MahTay Cafe starting at 7pm, featuring performers Ellen S. Jaffe, Betsy Belega, Lisa de Nikoltis and Brenda Missen.

The Virus BookFair runs throughout a number of venues in downtown St. Catharines, with our little table, featuring various publications by above/ground press, Chaudiere Books, rob mclennan and Christine McNair, will be at the MahTay Cafe, 241 Saint Paul Street, St Catherines, ON L2R3M7. (905) 685-4040

Also, check out rob mclennan and Christine McNair's reading the evening before at Patrick Sheehan's Irish Pub, 101 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines.

For more information on the Virus BookFair and/or the Niagara Literary Arts Festival, contact Jordan Fry at niagaraliteraryartsfestival@gmail.com or 905.329.4739.

LPG Statement on End to Canada Book Fund Support

Taken from the literary press group website. Chaudiere Books is part of the literary press group.

This is a damaging and devastating blow to many publishers across Canada.

In a body blow to Canada’s independent literary publishers, on Monday, June 4, 2012, the Literary Press Group (LPG) of Canada received word that the Department of Canadian Heritage (DCH) has ended its financial support of the LPG’s activities for the fiscal year that began on April 1, 2012. As a result, the LPG will be obliged to shut down its sales force, an essential operation that brings hundreds of new Canadian-authored books from 47 Canadian-owned publishers to bookstores and libraries every year. Without the LPG, authors and publishers lose their access to their readers, and Canadian readers lose easy and affordable access to Canada’s literary culture.

The DCH funding represented approximately one third of the LPG’s operating budget and was its single largest revenue source. While the LPG’s finances are otherwise strong, a loss of this size means that the LPG will not be able to continue operation in its current form. The LPG is committed to selling publishers’ fall 2012 titles, but it will have to lay off all field sales representatives as of August 31, 2012 and most head-office staff will be released on November 30, 2012.

Beyond November 2012, the LPG will look to establish an agenting relationship with another sales force for publishers who wish to be a part of a new collective.

LPG Chair Karen Green said "This sudden news has been devastating, for our staff, several of whom will lose their jobs; for our members especially those in the sales force – 47 publishers are faced with sudden instability, and for Canadian literary culture, readers and writers – a large branch has fallen in the path between them."

According to LPG Executive Director Jack Illingworth, what’s most harmful about the news of the loss of funding is the timing. “The LPG is two months into our fiscal year, with a contractual commitment and a duty of care to represent publishers’ books well into the fall. If we had received this news in January or February of this year (applications were submitted in October 2011), we could have made the transition in an orderly way with much less harm to our association, our members, or their authors.”

The LPG has been instrumental in the development of Canadian literary publishing and culture. It has proven to the market at large that Canadian literary books can reach a wide and diverse audience. Some of Canada’s top literary publishers, including Talon Books, Goose Lane Editions, Arsenal Pulp Press, Coteau Books, and Biblioasis are “graduates” of the LPG’s programs that have moved on to more commercially focused sales and distribution. The LPG is often the first stop for promising new firms seeking access to readers, and it remains the way that dozens of literary publishers, from seven provinces, get books into independent bookstores, retail chains, libraries, and online booksellers across Canada. Without the LPG these publishers could not access their readers as effectively or efficiently.

Defunding the LPG puts all of these publishers, and their authors, at risk. Most of these publishers receive support from federal and provincial government departments and agencies, including the Canada Book Fund. According to Illingworth, “We believe that this decision is seriously misguided and has the potential to irreparably damage literary publishing in Canada. It just isn’t good public policy to fund the production of books and attack their connection to readers in the most destructive way possible.”

The Literary Press Group of Canada was founded in 1975 as a project of the Independent Publishers Association (which was later re-named the Association of Canadian Publishers). The goal of this affiliate was to further the promotion of Canadian publishers producing primarily literary works. Its sales force and distribution operations were initiated in earnest in 1987 and 1988. In 1995, the LPG was incorporated as its own organization, in recognition of its importance as a sales and distribution agency, and in 1998, it shifted from using part-time, commissioned sales representatives to full-time, salaried sales staff, with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage. Since that time DCH has been consistent in its support of the LPG’s sales activities, recognizing their importance in being the bridge that brings Canadian-published literary books to their readers.

Cameron Anstee's Michelle Desbarats: A (sort-of) Interim Finding Aid

Ottawa poet and publisher Cameron Anstee has done a nice little write-up on Ottawa poet Michelle Desbarats, one of the authors in Decalogue: ten Ottawa Poets, over on his blog. Michelle releases new poems so sparingly that a list of her works in print is essential, and should be on everyone's reading list.

Andrew Suknaski memorial/wake reading;

A memorial/wake reading for the late prairie poet Andrew Suknaski (July 30, 1942 - May 3, 2012), the poet of Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, will be held upstairs at The Carleton Tavern, 233 Armstrong Street (at Parkdale), Ottawa on Friday, June 1, 2012 at 7:30pm.

Hosted by rob mclennan, this informal gathering of friends, admirers, fans and otherwise well-wishers will feature readings of Suknaski's own words as tribute by some of his friends

If you would like to say a few words about/for Suknaski, or have the opportunity to read a short selection from one of his works, email rob mclennan at rob_mclennan (at) hotmail.com.

For those inquiring about There Is No Mountain: The Selected Poems of Andrew Suknaski, edited by rob mclennan, will be appearing (thanks to a generous offer made to help offset production costs) once the rights are secured via Suknaski's literary executor.

Andrew Suknaski: July 30, 1942-May 3, 2012

We are sad to report that Chaudiere author Andrew Suknaski, from our perpetually-forthcoming selected poems, has died in Moose Jaw of natural causes. From Sarah Simison:

We are very sorry to report the death of Andy Suknaski in Moose Jaw on May 3, 2012. While Andy was most famous for WOOD MOUNTAIN POEMS, he first came to fame in Al Purdy's anthology of new writers, STORM WARNING. Andy was a strong believer in the small press movement, and early published such writers as Gary Hyland, Sid Marty and Glen Sorestad; he also influenced a whole generation of prairie writers with his own books of gritty, realistic poetry. Many writers owe a debt to him.

and an obituary from Montreal writer Brian Sentes.

Chaudiere author Joe Blades' radio interview on CKCU's Literary Landscapes now online

The December 22, 2011 radio interview host Christine McNair did with Chaudiere author Joe Blades for CKCU's Literary Landscapes is now online. As she describes on her website:

An interview with Joe Blades on his recent book Casemate Poems. We spoke about his residencies in the casemates, his poetry, the literary community, small press publishing and his work as a book artist. Listen to entire show here: Interview with Joe Blades

And don't forget about the Ottawa launch of his Chaudiere title, this Thursday at the Carleton Tavern.

Ottawa launch of Joe Blades' Casemate Poems (Collected) (Chaudiere Books), with an opening reading by Nicholas Lea

Chaudiere Books + The Factory Reading Series presents:

The Ottawa launch of Fredericton poet Joe Blades' Casemate Poems (Collected),
published by Chaudiere Books

for more information on Joe's book, check the link here:
http://www.chaudierebooks.com/books/casemate.html

with an opening set by Chaudiere Books author and Ottawa poet Nicholas Lea

Thursday, May 3, 2012
The Carleton Tavern, upstairs
233 Armstrong Street (at Parkdale), Ottawa
doors 7pm; reading 7:30pm
lovingly hosted by rob mclennan

Joe Blades has been giving readings, performing and publishing his poetry since 1980.

Blades was born and raised in Nova Scotia. He's a graduate of NSCAD (BFA (Studio Major: Intermedia), 1988), and he recently completed a Film & Television Certificate Program through the NB Filmmakers' Cooperative. He is also an alumni of the Banff Centre, Maritime Writers Workshop, Sage Hill Writing Experience, and the Simon Fraser University Book Publishing Immersion Workshop.

His poetry and art have appeared in over 50 trade and chapbook anthologies and CDs, and in numerous periodicals. Blades has authored or edited 30 poetry chapbooks and limited edition artist books. His five full-length poetry books are Cover Makes a Set (SpareTime Editions, 1990), River Suite (Insomniac Press, 1998), Open Road West (Broken Jaw Press, 2000, 2001) and Casemate Poems (Widows & Orphans, 2004). Serbian translations of River Suite as Recna svita in the Slike iz kanade: Tri kanadska pesnika (SKC Nis), and Casemate Poems as Pesme iz kazamata (i.p. Rad), were published in 2005.

Nicholas Lea earned his B.A. from the University of Ottawa. His poetry has appeared in such journals as dANDelion, Qwerty, The Puritan, Ottawater and ditch. His work was also been featured in the Globe and Mail’s online books blog, In Other Words. He has worked on the editorial boards of Bywords Quarterly Journal and The Fiddlehead. His debut collection of poetry, Everything is Movies (2007, Chaudière Books, Ottawa) was nominated for the Lampman-Scott Award. He most recently published the chapbook, Actual Girl (2011, The Emergency Response Unit, Toronto). He lives in Ottawa.

http://www.chaudierebooks.com/books/everything.html

for more information on authors, books or event, or for review/interview requests, contact rob mclennan at rob_mclennan at hotmail.com

Nicholas Lea has some new poems online in Ditch

Chaudiere author Nicholas Lea has some new poems online in Ditch, the poetry that matters.

Pearl Pirie has new poems in the "make believe" issue of Branch Magazine

Chaudiere author Pearl Pirie has two poems in the "make believe" issue of Branch Magazine.

Chaudiere author Anita Dolman and fiction writer James K. Moran read in Lethbridge AB, April 28, 2012

Chaudiere author and Ottawa poet Anita Dolman (Decalogue: Ten Ottawa Poets) and Ottawa fiction writer James K. Moran read at the Main Branch of the Lethbridge Public Library at 3pm, Saturday, April 28, 2012 in the Community Meeting Room.

The library promotes the event as "A personal journey into poetry and spoken word with a collection of CDs and videopoetry along with guest writers Anita Dolman and James K. Moran."

Joe Blades' Fredericton "scene report" at litlive.ca: Canadian Review of Literature in Performance

Chaudiere author Joe Blades has posted a Fredericton "scene report" in the fourth issue of litlive.ca: Canadian Review of Literature in Performance.

Pearl Pirie and Marcus McCann on Kerry Clare's New Generation of Canadian Poets list

Over at The 49th Shelf, poet Kerry Clare included Chaudiere authors Pearl Pirie and Marcus McCann on her list of "Great Canadian Poets who have published their first books since 2000, as selected by Canadian readers." Isn't that cool?

Joe Blades interviewed in the Central European Journal of Canadian Studies, Vol 7, 2011 [excerpt]

Better developed critical Canadian Studies?
An Interview with Poet and Publisher Joe Blades

Franz Kafka wrote that Mother Prague has claws and won’t let you go. Perhaps the image can be adapted, made more optimistic, and extended from the capital of the Czech Republic to include all of the lands covered by the Central European Association for Canadian Studies. Many Canadian academics and artists have forged strong and happy ties with the broader CEACS region, and their interest, attachment and observations are ever-illuminating. For them, Central European claws have become arms, the fi rm hold, a warm embrace.

Th is interview – between poet and publisher Joe Blades and me (Jason Blake, your new Editor-in-Chief) – is the fi rst of what should become a regular feature in The Central European Journal of Canadian Studies. Joe, who has spent time in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania and Serbia, and who makes his home in Fredericton, New Brunswick, is in a key position to tell us something about Canadian studies in our part of the world and to inform us about an often-neglected part of Canada.

> What got you interested in this part of the world? Was it through translating?
I was at a BookExpo Canada publisher’s tradeshow in Toronto, back in 2004, and attended a meeting with a publisher’s trade mission from Serbia and Montenegro who extended invitations to all of us to participate in the Belgrade Book Fair, the largest cultural event in Central Europe. I was the only one who accepted, which kind of surprised me. Th ere was one Québec publisher of nonfiction who went to Belgrade that year, but I was the sole English-language publisher from North America. There were no publishers from the USA.

> That is surprising. Do you sense that Canadian publishers want to look beyond Canada – that is, do you find a certain provincialism in Canadian publishing circles?
I honestly think there is a provincialism on many levels; micro-regionalism too. Fredericton is not Halifax; Windsor and Ottawa are not Toronto; etc. When the daily newspaper in Moncton refuses to review books by Fredericton authors because they are not “local,” one wonders how local “local” is – a 100-mile diet, perhaps?

In Canadian publishing, there’s a little star circle that is watched all the time. Even when Ondaatje and Atwood and that generation have stopped writing, everyone will continue to look to them. I don’t know if it is because so much of Canada’s publishing and the media industry is in Toronto, that it is so provincial and localized while proclaiming to be national. There is a real focus on Toronto, so there could be expectation that to be a successful national writer in English Canada that you feed the city and be fed by Toronto, even if that city runs on caff eine and adrenaline! I think they picked it up from the New York art world: If you want New York to commit to you, you have to commit to New York. I know that was the situation in New York from when I was a curatorial intern at a museum there in 1987. [...]

Michael Bryson interviews Douglas Glover

Chaudiere author Michael Bryson interviews novelist Douglas Glover over at The Danforth Review blog, on, among other things, Glover's new novel, Attack of the Copula Spiders. Other authors interviewed on Bryson's blog include Tim Conley, Matthew Firth, Rebecca Rosenblum, Christian McPherson and Sarah Selecky.

Monty Reid on Ottawa's poet laureate position,

Journalist Vera Grbic posted an article at openfile, "Three old ideas renewed by city's arts and culture plan," and writes about the concert hall, the indiginous centre, and the poet laureate position, the last of which includes some worthy and thought-provoking quotes on the matter by Chaudiere Books author Monty Reid.

four new Anne Le Dressay poems online at Curio

Ottawa poet and Chaudiere author Anne Le Dressay has four new poems online in the fourth issue of Curio Poetry.

Joe Blades: some recent activity,

Chaudiere author Joe Blades has some artwork up at the GOOP Mail Art site, here. Also, if you head over to his blog, he's been posting an ongoing series of "staircase poems."

Chaudiere author Joe Blades reads at Fredericton's Irving Layton Centenary Poetry Reading

12 March 2012, Monday, 8 pm, an Irving Layton Centenary event in Fredericton. Centenary events are happening across Canada. A Community Poetry Reading featuring Raymond Fraser, Joe Blades, Allison Calvern, and more at an Open Mic will happen at Alden Nowlan House, 676 Windsor St, Fredericton, NB. Everyone is welcome to read their favourite Irving Layton poem or poems for and about him and his writings. 

For more information, please contact: Allison Calvern acalvern@nbnet.nb.ca or Joe Blades joeblades@nb.aibn.com.

Chaudiere author Pearl Pirie at VERSeFest,

Pearl Pirie performs as part of Ottawa's second annual VERSeFest on Friday, March 2, 2012, as well as the "VERSeFest in Schools" program.

Anne Le Dressay, Karen Massey + Anita Dolman in Ottawater #8

Chaudiere author Anne Le Dressay has an essay on poetics and new poems in the eighth issue of the Ottawa poetry pdf journal ottawater (www.ottawater.com).

Ottawa poets and Chaudiere authors Anita Dolman and Karen Massey (Decalogue: Ten Ottawa Poets) also have new poems included, as do a number of other current and former Ottawa residents, Sylvia Adams, John Barton, Stephanie Bolster, Frances Boyle, Sara Cassidy, Richard Froude, Phil Hall, Marilyn Irwin, Alastair Larwill, Robin K. Macdonald, Rob Manery, Christine McNair, Justin Million, Cath Morris, Colin Morton, K.I. Press, Bardia Sinaee, jesslyn delia smith, Priscila Uppal and Andy Weaver, and new interviews with Ottawa poets Michael Dennis and Christine McNair, as well as artwork by Alison Smith-Welsh, Andrea Stokes, Andrew Morrow, Gabe Thirlwall, Marc Adornato, matt dube, Paul Sharp, Stephen Frew, The Latest Artists, Tic Toc Tom and Tim Desclouds.

Trail of Poems: the exhibit installation -- Joe Blades writer's residency + reading at Charlotte Glencross Gallery, Fredericton

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TRAIL OF POEMS LEADS TO THE CHARLOTTE STREET ARTS CENTRE

Fredericton poet–artist, Joe Blades, wears a Trail of Poems in the Charlotte Glencross Gallery, on his journey towards becoming a man of letters. The Charlotte Street Arts Centre is pleased to host Blades as writer-in-performance during his upcoming solo exhibition that will feature large-format photo-based works, along with text-based and mixed media artworks. Blades’ work is presented in partial fulfillment of a Master in Education degree in Adult Education at the University of New Brunswick.

Join us for the opening reception of Trail of Poems on Thursday, February 2 from 5–7 pm, where Blades will give a free poetry reading to launch his six-week series of onsite activities. Trail of Poems addresses Blades’ research questions that consider his artistic oeuvre and the path he has created to arrive at where he is today. Blades invites the public to visit both the Charlotte Glencross Gallery at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre and Room 145 in Marshall d’Avray Hall (UNB), where his works will be displayed concurrently in order to literally and metaphorically connect the dots, pebbles, or breadcrumbs of his art and education journey.

For over thirty years, Blades’ artist life and its continuing output of words and images have led him to his current engagement in arts-based research in adult education. He has exhibited hand-bound book works, photographs, mixed media pieces, and objets d’art in group shows across Canada and Europe. “Joe Blades has become a Fredericton landmark, and we’re extremely pleased to support his work in this way,” says WhiteFeather, Executive Director of the Charlotte Street Arts Centre.

Join us at the Charlotte Glencross Gallery to understand the importance of one’s own reflection on life and where that can lead, through art. All are welcome to attend the opening reception and to return to visit Blades during his performance residency. The exhibition will run until March 15, 2012.

Media contact: Laura Perry, Communications and Outreach Intern, 454-6952 or charlottestreetartreach@gmail.com
or
WhiteFeather, Executive Director, 454-6952 or director@charlottestreetarts.ca

--
The Charlotte Street Arts Centre opens the doors of creative expression to all.

732 Charlotte Street, Room 200
Fredericton NB E3B 1M5
506.454.6952 | office
506.454.6956 | fax
506.238.5402 | cell
www.charlottestreetarts.ca

some upcoming Pearl Pirie readings,

Chaudiere Books author Pearl Pirie presents a workshop at 6:45pm, and then launches her second trade collection, Thirsts (Montreal QC: Snare Books, 2011) at 8pm at Ottawa's TREE Reading Series on Tuesday, January 24, 2012; another reading to follow on Friday, March 2 at 7pm as part of Ottawa's second annual VERSeFest poetry festival.

rob mclennan + others launch Air Out / In Air (ed. Pearl Pirie) in Ottawa, Jan 19 2012, at Collected Works

Air Out / In Air: 21 Poets for the Guatemala Stove Project
(Ottawa ON: phafours, 2011)

The first reading will be January 19th at Collected Works with Allison Armstrong, Mike Montreuil, rob mclennan, Luminita Suse, and Amanda Earl.

Thursday, January 19; 7:00-9:00pm
Collected Works, Bookstore and Coffeebar
1242 Wellington Street west (at Holland)
Ottawa

Joe Blades interviewed tonight on Literary Landscapes, CKCU FM, Carleton University, Ottawa ON

Joe Blades will be interviewed tonight on CKCU Literary Landscapes, talking about his most recent poetry collection, Casemate Poems (Collected), published by Chaudiere Books.

The interview will be listenable at 93.1 in Ottawa or www.ckcufm.com, by Ottawa poet and Literary Landscapes co-host Christine McNair.

Watch for a recording of the interview to appear on McNair's blog at www.cartywheel.wordpress.com.

Co-hosts Bardia Sinaee, Kate Hunt, and Neil Wilson. 6:30-7:00 pm.





winter solstice 2011

west chezzetcook eastern
shore nova scotia dawn in
half an hour orange; yellow
golden glow on eastern horizon
a few lavender; burgundy
clouds and frosted everything

even frozen puddles
of hillside trickle
saltmarsh grasses
mossed apple trees
spruce and mountain
ash sprays of red berries

and there's a pheasant under
an apple tree eating seeds

a new essay by Monty Reid, published online by AngelHousePress

The latest in the AngelHousePress essay series is Monty Reid's "Twenty Minor Improvements for Greg Betts" http://angelhousepress.com/essays/monty_reid.pdf

in response to "Poets Against Authorship: A 5 minute Manifesto in 20 parts, 15 seconds each" by Gregory Betts, published in 17 Seconds, Summer 2011 Issue http://www.ottawater.com/seventeenseconds/issue3/PoetsAgainstAuthorship.pdf

Chaudiere author Pearl Pirie reads with Ottawa poet Christine McNair at AvantGarden, Toronto, December 11, 2011

Ottawa poet Christine McNair and Chaudiere Books author Pearl Pirie read at Toronto's AvantGarden Reading Series on Sunday, December 11, 2011 at Holy Oak Cafe, 1241 Bloor Street West, 6:30-9:30pm.

Ottawa author Elizabeth Hay compliments John Newlove's A Long Continual Argument

The lovely and talented writer Elizabeth Hay recently compliments our John Newlove title on her website, as part of a list of worthy books she's reading. How sweet, thanks!

A Long Continual Argument, The Selected Poems, John Newlove, 2007, Chaudiere Books

■I open this book in the middle and wonder why I read anyone else. He was a very difficult man (he liked to say that for his sins he lived in Ottawa) with such a pure voice, mordant and aching. He says things no one else says, and that I don’t realize I need to hear until I hear them. This is an excellent posthumous collection published by a small, valiant Ottawa publisher.

Profile of Pearl Pirie at Open Book; Ontario

[photo of Pearl Pirie at the Art Bar Reading Series, Toronto, November 22, 2011] Profile of Pearl Pirie (with a few questions) by rob mclennan at Open Book: Ontario.

Chaudiere author Joe Blades at the Fredericton Crafters Dec 10 Sale

Chaudiere author Joe Blades will be at the Fredericton Crafters Last Minute Christmas Show, Saturday, December 10 from 10am to 4pm with various items from Broken Jaw Press and Maritime Arts Productions, as well as his recent Casemate Poems (Collected).